At What Age is a Child Said to Experience Speech Delay ?

Who here still thinks that a child who rarely talks looks cool? Friends of Hermina, don't get me wrong. Yes a child who rarely speaks may not be because of his quiet nature, but it could be because the child has difficulty expressing what he wants to convey.

The ability to speak is one of the basic abilities that must be considered by parents because speaking skills in children will be one of their main assets in communicating with the people around them.

 

What is Speech Delay?

Speech delay is a condition experienced by children that causes them to experience speech and language delays. In this case, the child has difficulty conveying his thoughts properly, so that every word is difficult to understand. Children who experience delays in speaking are able to pronounce words; it's just that they have difficulty connecting them, so in this condition, parents have difficulty understanding the words.

In general, children at the age of 2 years are able to master about 25–50 vocabulary words and combine 2 words into a sentence, while children aged 3 years are able to arrange 3–4 words into complete sentences.

 

Causes of Speech Delay

There are several factors that can cause speech delay, including:

1. There is hearing loss.
2.  Less Stimulation
3. Disorders of the mouth organs (cleft lip, short folds under the tongue)
4. Has a history of seizures, head trauma, and inflammation of the brain
5. Autism
6. Too many playing gadgets
7. There is an ear infection.
8. Bilingual environment (multiple languages)

 

Signs of Speech Delay

1. Age 0–6 months : baby does not turn when called; no babbling (bababa, papapa, dadada)
2. Age 6–12 months : lack of expression on the baby's face; the baby does not point with a finger at 12 months.
3. Age 12–18 months : there are no meaningful words for babies aged 16 months (every word spoken is difficult to understand).
4. Age 18–24 months: There are no two-word sentences that can be understood when spoken by a child.

 

Handling Speech Delays

1. Often invite children to communicate.
2. Respond when the child speaks.
3. Limit the use of gadgets.
4. Help children understand the names of objects around them.

If Hermina's Friends find signs of speech delay, then immediately consult with the nearest Specialist doctor. Proper and fast treatment will make it easier for children to get therapy. Friends of Hermina can do online consultations with Specialist Doctors at Hermina Hospital through the Halo Hermina application.